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Update: The print edition lists Scott McMurren as one of the panelists, however he had to cancel and Jack Bonney from Visit Anchorage will join. “Age Smart – Let’s Talk,” the series of forums sponsored by AARP Alaska, Anchorage Senior Activity Center and Older Persons Action Group, returns Sept. 13, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This free event will be in-person at the senior center, with appretizers and refreshments provided, and also streamed via Zoom. This month’s presentation topic is “Travel: Here, Near and Beyond,” with guest speakers Gret...
Big, Outside money is flooding our Alaska elections this season. Alaska’s strong, citizen-initiated campaign finance law was struck down by the courts last fall, and the Legislature failed to act to correct the problem, leaving our elections wide-open to this form of legalized corruption. Recent polls show that 72% of Alaskans want limits on such spending. The citizens are pushing back. The “Hold Them Accountable” campaign is asking each candidate to sign a pledge to honor the wishes of most Alaskans by supporting an amendment to the U.S....
Interested in learning more about businesses and agencies providing senior services in the Anchorage and Mat-Su area? Want to get the word out about your own service? The monthly Service Providers Breakfast, sponsored by Older Persons Action Group, Inc., is an opportunity for all the above. Informal, early and free, the monthly event has been meeting virtually online via Zoom, but is resuming in-person meetings on site for some months. The September meeting is Sept. 14, hosted by Baxter Senior Living. Begins at 8 a.m. Call Older Persons Action...
Dear Savvy Senior: What kind of changes can Medicare beneficiaries expect to see in the Inflation Reduction Act that was recently signed into law? I’m enrolled in original Medicare and have a Part D prescription drug plan but spent more than $6,000 out-of-pocket last year on medications alone. - Overpaying Paul Dear Paul: The climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden last month includes significant improvements to the Medicare program that will k...
Gayle Slentz has lived in Alaska for more than 30 years. Now, she is moving from Craig, Alaska to Tucson, Arizona, to live with her sister Kris and brother-in-law Ken Howell. Slentz, age 67, cannot manage her home on her own and the rental market in Craig is virtually nonexistent and has been steadily declining over the past 30 years, she said. “Craig is smaller than it used to be. It now lists 1,036 people, a drop from 1,200 just two years ago,” Slentz said. “When I was looking for a rental, there was nothing. The availability isn’t here. I...
The surgery I needed this summer was not available in Alaska. I could have had it done in several places in the lower 48, but I picked Mayo Clinic because of its excellent national reputation. It is the number one ranked hospital by U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek. I picked the Phoenix facility (as opposed to Mayo Clinics in Florida or Minnesota) for the food. No need to be snarky. It was a dumb idea, but at the time I was trying to make the experience seem somehow festive, less tense, so I focused on southwestern food, which I love. I...
I'm 73 years old, and after taking care of my five-year-old granddaughter Eliza for four hours, well, I'm ready for a nap. So I have nothing but deep respect and awe for grandparents raising their grandchildren full-time. And so does Volunteers of America, which provides Kinship Care Services for those grandparents statewide. A long history Volunteers of America, a nonprofit organization, was founded in 1896 and provides affordable housing and other assistance services primarily to low-income...
There are many health benefits to getting leaner, going well beyond fitting more comfortably in your clothes. It is important to savor food, take time to cook nice meals and especially take time to chew and enjoy every mouthful. Food is so yummy, and relatively abundant compared to early days in Alaska where most pioneers, including the ones from 10,000 years ago, lived by subsistence hunting, fishing and gathering. The so-called “Green Revolution” in the 1970s (which began the widespread use of GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers) mas...
You may make changes to your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan coverage each year during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, which runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. Beginning in September, you may receive notices with information about possible changes to your coverage for the coming year. Please read these notices, as these can help you decide if you should make changes to your coverage during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period. If you are currently enrolled in Medicare, watch for the “Medicare & You...
September is National Preparedness Month. It is a reminder to take a few moments and organize those items that will reduce your stress when an emergency happens. For Alaskans, the first thought is often an earthquake and possible tsunami in coastal areas. Other emergencies can be fires or power outages that last for days due to storms. The best place to go is ‘National Preparedness Month’ at www.Ready.gov. Under that heading is a list of topics including “Build A Kit”. It is a detailed listed of things to have ready in case of an emergen...
Dear Savvy Senior: I just turned 65 and would like to learn more about the stronger flu shots I see advertised for older adults. What can you tell me about them and how are they covered by Medicare? – Senior Novice Dear Novice: There are actually three different types of senior-specific flu shots (you only need one) that the CDC is now recommending to people age 65 and older. These FDA-approved annual vaccines are designed to offer extra protection beyond what a standard flu shot provides, which is important for older adults who have weaker i...
We are in serious need of volunteers to help us produce much-needed events in communities across our amazing state. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, education and professional fields, medical and non-medical backgrounds. We assign important tasks for people of all ages. Help us to better serve your community by participating this season. If you are interested in knowing more, go to our website www.alaskahealthfair.org and click on “volunteer” below our logo at the top. Or call, in Anchorage 907-278-0234; Fairbanks 907-374-6853; Jun...
Monitoring health through sweat Researchers now have come up with a smart biosensor necklace that can track health status through sweat. In a new study published in the journal Science Advances, researchers at Ohio State University demonstrated a battery-free, wireless biochemical sensor that detected the blood sugar levels through substances excreted from their skin when they exercise. The Ohio State team fabricated a “smart necklace,” which has a functional clasp and pendant. Once placed aro...
It’s a good time to talk about the newest resource available to Alaskans: 988, the three-digit, nationwide phone number which connects directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Not only is this an easy-to-remember number – it’s a direct connection to care. Care that is compassionate, and supportive for anyone experiencing mental-health related distress, whether thoughts of suicide, mental health, substance use crisis or any other kind of emotional distress, or for someone worried about a loved one needing crisis support. The launc...
The Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program office is located at 35477 Kenai Spur Highway, Suite 205 (located in the 4D Professional Building). You can call them at 907-262-1280 or email kpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.comkpfcsp@soldotnaseniors.com. Support meetings allow you to share your experiences as a caregiver, or support someone who is a caregiver. If you are helping a family member or friend by being a caregiver, learn what kind of help is available. There is no charge for these services and everyone is invited to attend. Call with...
Q: When I am with others, I occasionally feel dismissed and that my point of view doesn’t matter. How do I get others to listen to what I have to say? A: When we are with others that are of different life experiences, disparate thought, clashing opinions, or diverse age groups, our voice can feel marginalized. We can feel powerless or relegated to an unimportant position. If an individual or group identifies that they are not accepted, due to unequal status, privilege, opportunity, gender, sexua...
Help your houseplants make a smooth transition from their outdoor summer home back inside for winter. The lower light and humidity indoors along with any insects that hitched a ride indoors make it difficult to keep these plants looking their best. Give them a shower before they move indoors. A gentle blast of water washes dust and dirt off the leaves and dislodges insects that might be feeding on the plants. Gradually prepare the plants for the lower light conditions indoors. Start by placing...
Update: Anchorage and Mat-Su showings for this film have been postponed to early 2023. A new documentary film, “All the Lonely People,” with a significant portion filmed in Alaska, addresses the growing public health concerns of social isolation and loneliness, and it offers solutions to help reduce the harmful effects. The groundbreaking film will have its Alaska premier showings this winter. We all know what social isolation is like. COVID-19 lockdowns showed us that. But for millions of Americans, social isolation and loneliness are all too...
Author's note: Life is a journey and circumstances change, as they always do. It was with bittersweet thoughts that I recently recalled this story from 10 years ago while tending a brush pile fire with my two grandchildren, rather than my husband, Gary. He moved into the Palmer Pioneer Home in February. Our daughter and grandchildren traveled from Colorado to visit us in July. Perhaps some of the glue that holds our almost 40-year marriage together is cutting and stacking firewood and burning br...
Let's get right to the point. If you have never been tempted by the OLÉ catalog, one can only ask: Where were you raised? In a fun-free cave somewhere? OLÉ!, ("Opportunities for Lifelong Education") is the popular learning program for grown-ups, is back -and it's time to pick your Fall courses. The schedule this semester offers a dizzying array of options. There is the usual writing, yoga, estate planning, painting, genealogy, etc. But how about DNA technology? Bob Dylan and Bonnie Raitt t...
A friend of mine recently sent me an excerpt from "Open: An Autobiography," by Andre Agassi, the retired tennis professional. In it he talks about the mental battle he learned to fight after finding a new coach who helped propel him to do remarkable things in tennis. My friend saw parallels in my own thought process: "The tyranny of perfection". Growing up playing tennis with a father who (most of the time) gently taught my brother and me the needed skills, I was still subconsciously motivated...
The Alaska Commission on Aging will hold a quarterly meeting Oct. 3-6 in the Anchorage area. Items of discussion will include updates on dementia programs, Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, veterans issues, senior housing, Alaska Pioneer Homes and other topics pertaining to Alaska seniors. Public attendance is encouraged. Meeting hours are Monday, Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Anchorage Senior Activity Center. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 4 and 5, commissioners will hold listening sessions around Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley....
AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is now recruiting for volunteers for the 2023 season. As a Tax-Aide volunteer, you Volunteers can help out in the local community, at a site near you. We do need your help, and you can really make a significant difference in the lives of our friends and neighbors here in Alaska. Free tax preparation is an important boost for individuals and families. Sometimes the tax refund means keeping the heat on or helping with rent for our Alaska’s most vulnerable residents. Becoming a volunteer tax preparer is easier than you t...
A three-hour stopover in Skagway in July 1923 by President Warren G. Harding turned into a booming business for one Alaskan sourdough. Martin Itjen, an immigrant who came north from Florida in 1898 to join the stampede in search of riches in the Klondike, took the President on an excursion in a painted coal truck. After seeing how much Harding enjoyed the tour, the mustached Itjen figured he could make a living off tourism in the famous gold rush city and started the Skagway Streetcar Co. The...
Not even a pandemic could slow down Kent McCord's desire to interact with admirers, even if only through virtual fan conventions. "I've done several of these online over the last two years and always enjoy talking with fans," said McCord, who turns 80 in September, from his Los Angeles home. Best known as one half of the crime-fighting police duo on "Adam-12," McCord's Hollywood career can be traced to college days in early 1961 when a fellow student invited him to participate in a friendly...
